FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are used auto parts so cheap at Grandpa John’s?

Answer: Grandpa John’s parts are cheap because YOU do the labor. Full service yards charge a premium for labor, inventory, storage, etc. With Grandpa John’s, you aren’t getting charged all of those fees, you are simply paying for your parts and to help keep the environment clean.

Why are there so many safety rules?

Answer: We have our safety rules because we want to keep you safe while you pull parts. With all of the broken glass, sharp metals, and rocks in the yard it’s no wonder why we don’t let customers enter our yard with open toed shoes. And to prevent vehicles from tipping off of their stands, we also don’t allow jacks, prybars, or power cutting tools.

Why the $3 admission charge?

Answer: Most junkyards and salvage yards these days won’t allow you to walk through their yard at all. Due to increased insurance rates, more and more salvage yards are closing their yards to the public. When you come to Grandpa John’s you pay $3 for the opportunity to walk the yard for the day.

Why do you stay open 7 days a week, unlike other salvage yards?

Answer: We understand that our customers are busy. A lot of you work Monday through Friday every week and can’t make it in by the time we close up shop. We are open 7 days a week so all of our customers have the opportunity to rummage for parts.

Why do you charge an environmental fee?

Answer: Grandpa John’s is an automotive recycling facility. In order to put vehicles in our yard for you to pull parts, we must first drain all of the hazardous fluids such as brake fluid, transmission fluid, fuel, coolant, and oil. We must also remove other hazardous materials such as mercury switches and spent batteries. The environmental fee we charge helps us to properly and safely dispose of these materials and keep our environment clean.

Why can’t you tell me over the phone or at the counter if you have the part I need?

Answer: Simply put, the reason we don’t tell you exactly what parts we have is to save YOU money. Inventory is an expensive process and is one of the reasons our parts are so cheap compared to a full-service yard. By not keeping an inventory, we are able to keep our parts cheap and affordable for you!

Why are many parts missing off some vehicles?

Answer: With a yard of over 900 vehicles at any given time it takes a while for us to rotate our entire inventory. Most of our vehicles are available for 4-6 months for you to pull parts. By the time we remove a vehicle from our yard, most of the goodies have been picked clean and we set a new vehicle in the yard. We add new inventory every week!

Why are prices not negotiable?

Answer: In a self-service yard, there is always a chance that the part you need will have some scratches or may get dinged while you pull the part. All of our parts are sold at a set discount price regardless of their condition. If you’re worried that your parts won’t work or may be damaged, never fear, all of our parts come with a standard 30-day cash back warranty. So hang on to your receipt until you know your parts will work for you.

Why are there core charges?

Answer: Core charges help to keep prices low. A part listed at $25 plus a $5 core charge is actually a $30 part. Rebuilders will pay us $5 for the old part so they can rebuild and resell it. To keep parts more affordable for you, we will discount your old part by removing a core charge when you bring in your old part.

Why are toolboxes inspected?

Answer: We check toolboxes on your way in for your safety. We do not allow jacks, power cutting tools, prybars, drugs, alcohol, or open toed shoes into our yard. To keep you safe, we need to make sure you and other customers are not bringing in these banned items.

It can be tempting to slip a part into your toolbox and walk past the cashiers. But theft leads to higher prices, and we like to keep our prices to a minimum to keep our parts more affordable for you. To help prevent the temptation for theft, we double check each toolbox and ask our customers to report any theft or vandalism.

Why are some truck parts more expensive than the car parts like fenders and doors?

Answer: The answer is simple, it’s because trucks, vans, and SUVs are more expensive than coupes and sedans. It costs us more to buy these vehicles to fill the yard so we charge a little more for the parts. Not all parts are priced higher for these vehicles however. Most components, electronics, interior, and suspension parts are the same price regardless of the vehicle they came off of.